


Shiny

by standbygo



Series: NaNoWriMo 2013 One Word Prompt Challenge [9]
Category: Firefly, Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Explicit Language, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-30
Updated: 2013-11-30
Packaged: 2018-01-03 02:19:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1064552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/standbygo/pseuds/standbygo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Secretly John loved telly nights with Sherlock, and he suspected a lot of Sherlock’s  peevishness was for show and he that enjoyed them as well. His flatmate’s acerbic comments were often hilarious and on the money, and generally provided even more entertainment than the film or TV show itself.</p><p>“What’s this called, then?” Sherlock asked, burying himself into a sulky position on the sofa.</p><p>John checked the DVD case. “Firefly.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shiny

**Author's Note:**

> NaNoWriMo One Word Prompt Challenge: "Shiny", from Trevor.

“When in God’s name did I consent to this, John?” 

“It was the deal we made when you wanted to keep the fingers that had gone off. Remember?”

Silence. Grudging silence. 

“It’s not that ridiculous Professor Whatsis you watch all the time, is it?”

“That’s Doctor Who, and how are you English again? Anyway, it’s not, it’s an American show, Greg loaned me the DVDs. Apparently it’s a cult hit over there, even though it was cancelled.”

“If it was any good, why did they cancel it?” Sherlock asked, with genuine curiosity. 

“Dunno. Ask Greg.”

“Hmph. Americans.”

John put the first DVD in the player, hiding his grin. Secretly he loved telly nights with Sherlock, and he suspected a lot of Sherlock’s  peevishness was for show and he that enjoyed them as well. His flatmate’s acerbic comments were often hilarious and on the money, and generally provided even more entertainment than the film or TV show itself.

“What’s this called, then?” Sherlock asked, burying himself into a sulky position on the sofa.

John checked the DVD case. “Firefly.”

~

“John, I don’t understand. Is this a cowboy show or science fiction?”

“Both, I guess.”

“How can it be _both_?”

John had no answer to that.

“Is he going to mumble like that the whole show?”

“Did you never watch a Western? That’s the way cowboys are supposed to talk.”

“Clearly my life is complete now that I know that.”

~

At one point, the dialogue made John’s brain go offline and it took him a second to realize that the character had switched languages. He was wondering if this is a special alien language made up for the show, when Sherlock laughed, briefly.

John turned to him in shock. Never in the entire time they had been flatmates had Sherlock laughed at something on telly. Well, some science programs, but usually that was scorn. This was definitely a laugh.

“You understood that?” John said.

“Well, his pronunciation is brutal, but yes, it’s Mandarin.”

“What did he say?”

Sherlock turns to him and smirks. “You motherfucker; everyone should die.”

~

A week later, at a crime scene, John handed Greg Lestrade his DVDs. “Thanks Greg, I really liked that.”

“Glad you did. What about himself?” Greg nodded towards Sherlock. It’s an ongoing challenge and source of amusement for the two of them to find things to show Sherlock and then enjoy the reaction.

“He wasn’t sure at first but I think he warmed to it. I think he developed a bit of a crush on the girl, the odd one. Anytime she was on the screen he wouldn’t let me say a word.”

Greg smiled, but was suddenly distracted by the sounds of raised voices in the corner. He looked over, then back at John with a wry expression.

“Anderson’s pissed him off again,” John said, and he and Greg made their way towards the argument.

“…just let me do my job…”

“I would if you could actually do it without ruining all the evidence…”

“… just because you’re Lestrade’s pet doesn’t give you the right to-”

“All right!” Greg shouted, cutting them off. “Honestly, what do I need to do to get you two to act maturely around each other?”

“Perhaps hire people that at least got their O levels?” Sherlock snapped. John hid his smile behind his hand.

“Perhaps psychological testing on the people you bring onto scenes,” Anderson volleyed. John’s smile disappeared, but before his hand could curl into a fist Greg stepped between them. 

“Enough, the two of you,” Greg said. “Anderson, finish processing those blood samples over there. Sherlock-”

“Never mind, I have what I need,” Sherlock said loftily. “Come on John.” 

Before John could react, Sherlock swept out the door. He shrugged at Greg and mouthed, “We’ll text you later,” and set off after Sherlock.

Before John got to the door, however, Sherlock stuck his head back in and called, “Anderson!"  Anderson’s head whipped around. 

John saw a tiny smile flicker over Sherlock’s face. “Also?” Sherlock said.

John heard the higher pitch of Sherlock’s voice, the uncharacteristic upturn of tone at the end of the word. _Oh no_ , John thought.

“I can kill you with my brain,” Sherlock said, and disappeared. 

John looked back and saw Anderson’s jaw dropping with shock and a touch of fear. Greg’s face, however, broke into a huge grin.

“Shiny,” said Greg.

 

_End_

**Author's Note:**

> Hat tip to http://fireflychinese.com/, a fascinating site about the Chinese used on Firefly.


End file.
